Ebola Virus Outbreak 2014 News: US Army Says Ebola Can Be Airborne

By Claire Taylor

The Ebola Outbreak 2014 has been the most fatal, not to mention extensive, epidemic to hit the 21st century. Everyday, careful monitoring by government and health officials, as well as citizens have been done; especially in the wake of known diagnosis amongst Americans who are staying in the country, with Thomas Eric Duncan, Nina Pham and now adding to the list is Amber Vinson.

But, that's not the only reason why major alarm bells are ringing. Shortly after it was confirmed that Vinson has tested positive after caring for the first-diagnosed patient who died, several media outlets broke the news that she had flown domestic from Ohio to Dallas, Texas even when she manifested the symptoms.

Although Vinson had informed and received clearance from a CDC official, concerns grow especially for the well-being of the passengers in the Frontier Airline she boarded and for any person she might have encountered. This comes along with fears that this could trigger the Ebola Outbreak 2014 in the United States.

Now, the question remains - Can Ebola virus be airborne? While the CDC and WHO officials remain firm on their stance that it cannot be transmitted by air from one person to the other, an Army manual refutes this and warns that the virus can be airborne in some circumstances.

On the 177th page of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRID) on its seventh edition published on 2011, it discussed a category of the viruses that discuss the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, which includes Ebola among many others.

The USAMRID reads, "In several circumstances, secondary infections among contacts and medical personnel without direct body fluid exposure have been documented. These instances have prompted concern of a rare phenomenon of aerosol transmission of infection. Therefore, when VHF is suspected, additional infection control measures are indicated."

It recommends that a patient should be isolated with an adjoining room, which would be used for wearing and removal of protective gears, as well as decontamination of supplies.

In a previous report by WND, the World Health Organization admitted that the Ebola Outbreak 2014 can be transmitted through sneezing or coughing, but only in 'wet and bigger droplets over a short distance to a nearby person'.

Dr. David Sanders, an Ebola virologist from Purdue University, appeared on Fox News on Monday regarding the possibility of the virus being airborne. In a statement he said,

"Our own research shows that Ebola Zaire enters human lung cells from the airway side. So, it has the inherent capacity to enter the lung from the airway. I'm not saying there's any evidence that the current spread is due to anything, but bodily fluid contact; but we have to consider the possibility that it can enter through an airway route."